It’s Monday, August 17th around 5:30 pm. I am in a pro-op suite at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Bellingham, WA. The prep nurse asks me again, “Mr. Davis, can you tell me in your own words what we are about to do here tonight? The surgical consent form swims before my eyes, unfocused and unreadable. I hear my own voice, but it doesn’t seem, to be coming from me, “You will an make an incision in my right arm, locate an arterial clot and remove it to restore  proper blood flow to my right hand.” “And…” she prompts.

‘You will do similar on my right leg.” “And if Doctor is unable to find suitable arteries to restore flow to your right foot…?” That disconnected voice appears again, “Then you will amputate my right leg above the knee.” Oh dear God!” I will soon go to sleep not knowing if I will wake up with two legs. How the hell did I get here?

It wasn’t a crash.

I just had what I thought were leg and arm cramps. Except that my fingers and toes were blue and hurt like hell. A vascular ultrasound confirmed the presence of arterial clots in my right leg and arm. Time was critical if I was to save my leg. Hence the rapid trip to surgery.

It’s 2 weeks later and I am happy to report that I still have my leg. A skilled surgeon and a little luck were with me that night. Still, the whole incident made me think about the potential changes to my life has the surgeon not been so skilled or the luck so good. As so often happens after a crisis, I began to consider all of the “coulda-beens”. What if I couldn’t ride anymore? As in physically unable to operate the controls of a motorcycle.

As I continue my recovery I remain grateful for what I have and for those around me who have been so generous in their support.

If your motorcycle has been recalled and you are not sure what to do, check out What To Do If Your Motorcycle Is Recalled.

EBL Enterprises is recalling 800 motorcycle helmets, 500 series sizes XS, S, M, L, XL, 2XL, manufactured between April and May 2008. These helmets fail to conform to the impact attenuation requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 218, "Motorcycle Helmets." In the event of a crash, the helmet wearer may become seriously injured without adequate protection. Dealerleather will offer a full refund or replace any noncompliant helmet with a helmet that meets Federal standards. The recall is expected to begin during August 2009. Owners may contact Dealerleather at 1-201-230-6353.

BMW is recalling 1,535 MY 2007-2009 R1200RT motorcycles. Due to routing and assembly tolerances of the front brake lines, it is possible for the lines to be under strain. In combination with vibration during riding, the brake lines could develop a leak. The level of fluid in the front brake fluid reservoir could drop rendering the front brakes inoperative. In the event that only the rear brakes were operational, severe loss of control during hard braking could result. This could result in a serious crash. BMW will notify owners and repair the motorcycles with new front brake lines, with modified routing free of charge. The safety recall is expected to begin during August 2009. BMW’s recall campaign no. R1200 RT. Owners may contact BMW at 1-800-831- 1117.

Harley Davidson is recalling 1,759 MY 2009 FLTRSE3 motorcycles equipped with blade rear wheel accessory kits. Some wheels within the subject population underwent a secondary heat treatment process. As a result of this secondary heat treatment, these wheels may have a crack. If a crack is present, it could result in wheel failure during use, possibly leading to a crash, which could result in injury or death of the rider. Dealers will remove the rear wheel and inspect the manufacturer’s code. Wheels that underwent a secondary heat treatment process will be replaced with a wheel provided in the recall repair kit. Wheels that do not have the suspected code will be re-installed. This service will be performed free of charge. The recall began on July 20, 2009. Owners may contact Harley Davidson at 1-414-343-4056.

Things have been a bit quiet on MotoSkagit the last couple of weeks. For good reason, I have been a resident of St. Joseph’s Hospital in Bellingham since Monday, August 17. My body has become something of a clot factory causing to to have a stroke, nearly lose my right leg and cause nerve damage in my right hand. While I am stable now, I still have several challenges to be resolved including  a procedure to close a hole in my heart and whether or not I my right big toe will need to be amputated.. I don’t know when I will next be able to ride.

Look for a more detailed article about this experience and my road to recovery in future articles. You can also follow my progress on my personal Twitter feed at http://www.twitter.com/jmdaviswa.